Read Online Seven Nights to Forever by Evangeline Collins - Free Book Online

the cup down. “I need to make a few stops on St. James Street. The tailor, the boot maker, White’s, and I should check at Tattersalls. Dash had mentioned acquiring a team, though I’m hoping he didn’t actually purchase one.” That would mean he planned to stay in Town and not return to university for the next term.
    Timothy frowned. “It’s absolutely dreary outside. Surely the errands can wait another day.”
    “It’s best I take care of them today.” She would rather find out sooner than later the extent of the damages.
    “But what if it rains?”
    “When has a bit of rain caused you harm? We’ll hire a hackney anyway. Come along.” She nudged his shoulder. “I need to get dressed, and you need to get your coat.”
    “All right,” Timothy said on a resigned sigh. He got to his feet and then held out a hand, helping her to stand.
    “I’ll meet you outside Rubicon’s office.” She would need funds, after all, to settle Dash’s latest bills, and the madam had not yet stopped by her room to deliver the envelope from the prior night’s work.
    Though last night had been the furthest thing from work.
    His parting kiss floated through her mind. Pressing her tingling lips together, trying to vanquish the lingering sensation of his lips upon hers, she went into her bedchamber to change into a practical day dress, suddenly eager to leave the sitting room and escape the memories of James.

Four
    “MR . Archer, it’s almost nine o’clock.”
    James looked up from the paperwork on his desk. The slim form of his secretary, Decker, stood in the open doorway to his office. His plain brown coat held a few wrinkles, his cravat was rumpled as if he had tugged on it a time or two, and his once neatly combed brown hair was a bit untidy. He looked like a man who had spent the better part of his day behind a desk. If James looked in a mirror, he was certain he’d appear just as ragged about the edges as his young secretary.
    “Then why are you still here?” James asked.
    “Because you are.”
    At least he was honest about it. Decker had been with him for almost a year. Eager to please and eager to prove himself, he had yet to take James at his word when he told him his hours at the office did not need to match James’s. Surely an unmarried man of two-and-twenty had better things to do with his evenings than tend to his employer.
    “Have you finished reviewing the manifest for the Wilmington ?” Decker asked, approaching his desk.
    “Yes. Just finished it.” James flipped through the pile of documents at his elbow, locating the one in question.
    Decker reached out, but James pulled back, keeping the papers out of reach of his ink-stained fingertips. “You needn’t see to them tonight. Tomorrow will suffice.”
    “It will only take a moment—”
    “Tomorrow,” he said firmly.
    Decker stared at the manifest. He opened his mouth and then shut it, his arm dropping to his side, clearly thinking better of pursuing the matter. The candlelight illuminated the dark smudges under his eyes, the exhaustion even more evident in the slump of his usually straight shoulders.
    Ah hell. The man wouldn’t walk out the door unless James followed close on his heels. Not something James was looking forward to. Just the thought of returning home made him recoil. Perhaps he would merely make a pretense of leaving and then return to his spot behind his desk. He’d receive a heavy scowl from Decker in the morning. Even though he was usually at the office before Decker arrived, the man somehow knew when he spent the night on the leather couch.
    The scowl was much preferable to the prospect of coming face-to-face with Amelia. Once a day was more than enough.
    “And speaking of tomorrow, we should both head home.” He slipped his pen into its holder next to the inkwell and stood, suppressing the wince as his muscles protested the movement. He rolled his shoulders, his joints popping and cracking, reminding him he had not spent the